Curles v. State

Thompson, Justice.

Warner Prosser Curies was convicted by a jury of felony murder with the underlying felony of aggravated assault in connection with the shooting death of William Devalen Black. On appeal, Curies claims that he was entitled to a mistrial based on improper statements in the State’s closing argument, and that the court erred in denying his Batson challenge. Finding no reversible error, we affirm.

Viewed in a light most favorable to the verdict, the evidence shows that in the months preceding the shooting, Curies and his wife had been having frequent altercations with their…